I have been toying with the idea of ditching Facebook for a year or so and last night I finally deleted my Facebook accounts. The final straw was what I consider to be unethical experimentation. Plus, it seems Facebook lied about when they changed their policy notice on their t's & c's.
I have been with Google+ for a few years and love the feeling of it. It's looking better all the time and I find the level of posts are so much more informative and to my needs. I'm sure I'm going to miss out on so many people displaying their children in fancy dress costumes. I know I'll miss out on my colleagues telling me they've just had a chocolate biscuit or feigning how ill they are so it sounds more true when they call in sick at work. But, I think I will get over it, given the time.
With Google+ I have been able to Hangout with some of the scientists at CERN and join in with Richard Branson discussing the Cousteau Underwater Living Experiment (and I believe Mr. Cousteau gave his explicit authorisation to this).
Now that I've went the whole hog and Googled up, I feel the time is right to only use Google+ for my online social networking. Well, with a bit of Twitter on the side. And of course, Blogger too.
One thing I didn't say on my final Facebook message was, where I was going to. Call me a snob, but I could not suffer the endless crap I have delved into every now and then for years. I hope that Google don't get bogged down with stats and try to make Google+ more "popular" just to ratchet up the users. I like it just as it is. Let Facebook keep their members and let us keep ours.
Thursday, 3 July 2014
Wednesday, 2 July 2014
Chromecast usage on the decline? Not mine.
Market research company Park Associates surveyed more than 10,000 broadband equipped homes in the US and amongst other things about their usage, they found that from those surveyed, they found the percentage of people using their Chromecast at least once a month for web browsing - "casting a tab" - fell from 76% in the months following the devices launch (Q3 2013) to just 57% in the first quarter of 2014.
Personally I have only "cast a tab" twice, as I prefer to view a web page directly on my Chromebook. So, I can see the reason for the drop. The 19% drop is a headline figure that gets your attention. But the main purpose for the Chromecast in my mind is to cast video to my TV. And it does this beautifully.
Parks Associates survey shows that "streaming" did also drop but the figure went from 78% to 73%. That sounds more plausible, as the "novelty effect" wears off.
For myself though, my Chromecast usage has rocketed. And with it, my viewing habits have substantially changed. And, I have discovered some excellent shows I wouldn't have ever found otherwise. Although some recent discoveries came from me getting a Roku at the end of 2013, I now never miss CNET's The 404. Jeff Bakalar and Justin Yu are now TV favourites of 2 of my nephews aged 11yrs and 9 yrs.
Even though Roku introduced me to The 404, I now stream the show via Chromecast as it's quicker and simpler.
Since I "Googled Up" I have also become more interested in keeping up to date on all things Chrome and Android. My latest discovery is "Tech News Today" presented by Mike Elgan from twit.tv/tnt also from twit.tv I have subscribed via You Tube to "This Week in Google", "All About Android" and "Twit Tech News 2Night". The production quality is fantastic. All Cast to my TV from my Chromebook, Nexus 7 and Moto G.
Of course it goes without saying that Netflix is Cast too. And,for those who like it, the BBC iPlayer is available and the Chromecast is better than the Roku for this service. I rarely use the BBC iPlayer as I don't watch much "mainstream" TV. So, I'm really paying my TV Licence to watch Doctor Who when it's airing.
So, here's to more discoveries.
Personally I have only "cast a tab" twice, as I prefer to view a web page directly on my Chromebook. So, I can see the reason for the drop. The 19% drop is a headline figure that gets your attention. But the main purpose for the Chromecast in my mind is to cast video to my TV. And it does this beautifully.
Parks Associates survey shows that "streaming" did also drop but the figure went from 78% to 73%. That sounds more plausible, as the "novelty effect" wears off.
For myself though, my Chromecast usage has rocketed. And with it, my viewing habits have substantially changed. And, I have discovered some excellent shows I wouldn't have ever found otherwise. Although some recent discoveries came from me getting a Roku at the end of 2013, I now never miss CNET's The 404. Jeff Bakalar and Justin Yu are now TV favourites of 2 of my nephews aged 11yrs and 9 yrs.
Even though Roku introduced me to The 404, I now stream the show via Chromecast as it's quicker and simpler.
Since I "Googled Up" I have also become more interested in keeping up to date on all things Chrome and Android. My latest discovery is "Tech News Today" presented by Mike Elgan from twit.tv/tnt also from twit.tv I have subscribed via You Tube to "This Week in Google", "All About Android" and "Twit Tech News 2Night". The production quality is fantastic. All Cast to my TV from my Chromebook, Nexus 7 and Moto G.
Of course it goes without saying that Netflix is Cast too. And,for those who like it, the BBC iPlayer is available and the Chromecast is better than the Roku for this service. I rarely use the BBC iPlayer as I don't watch much "mainstream" TV. So, I'm really paying my TV Licence to watch Doctor Who when it's airing.
So, here's to more discoveries.
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